Plate Tectonics and Magma Generation

Dr. Ahmad Redaa

2025-08-26

Earth’s Structure

Layers of the Earth
- Crust: Composition, continental vs. oceanic
- Mantle: Structure, composition, convection currents
- Core: Inner and outer core, composition, geodynamo

The Earth’s interior, Source: Philpotts and Ague (2022)

Plate Tectonics

The layers of the tectonic Earth, (Source: Philpotts and Ague (2022))

Magma Generation and Plate Tectonics

Generalized cross section illustrating magma generation associated with various plate tectonic settings. Source: Winter, J. (2014)

Magma Generation

Processes of Melting

Sources of Magma

The Convergent Plate Boundary

The convergent plate boundary (Source: Jain, S. (2014))

The Ocean–Ocean Convergence

The Ocean–Ocean convergence (Source: Jain, S. (2014))

The Ocean–Continent Collision

The Ocean–Continent collision (Source: Jain, S. (2014))

Divergent Plate Boundary

The Divergent Plate Boundary (Source: Jain, S. (2014))

Example of Divergent Plate Boundary

The East Africa Rift Valley and the Red Sea rift (Source: Jain, S. (2014))

Hot Spots and Mantle Plumes

Schematic model for oceanic volcanism

Schematic model for oceanic volcanism. Source: Winter, J. (2014)